Showing posts with label Fig Tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fig Tree. Show all posts

Friday, September 24, 2021

Late September Morning -


The golden days of Autumn have arrived at last - just one cool night and there
is a difference in the morning air, the light, the colors, the feeling, and the view
from the window.

There is a beautiful spirit breathing now.

Its mellow richness on the clustered trees,

And from a beaker full of richest dyes,

Pouring new glory on the Autumn woods. . . . . .

From 'AUTUMN' by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~ 1807-1882

Just after sunrise this morning at 7:10 am



September - the seventh month of the old Roman year. 
By the Julian arrangement it became the ninth month, but still
 retained its former name.

I love late September knowing my favorite month of October will soon be here!

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

A July Morning -


This morning, with sunshine and calm outside the door, I thought I'd change
 my header - as I often do - only to find that Blogger must be messing with
 us again! Have you tried to upload a new header lately only to find your
 previous ones now upload in a much larger, blurred format?  
I've been playing about with this particular one above and have given up. 
It just doesn't look that great, so when I have time I may just try to create
 some new headers.
Also, Blogger needs to work on many things which could make posting a
 lot easier - like back in the good old days!

Meanwhile, thanks again for more birthday greetings for Bob, he was
 touched by your kind words.


This morning I need to water, at least the pots, as another day reaching into
 the 90's is promised. We will have to prepare for storm activity on Thursday,
it could be severe as the remnants of tropical storm Elsa move through the 
southeast

The fig tree continues to GROW!
Nothing stops this amazing tree - not even the severe pruning last winter.
It's loaded with fruit but of course we'll never get to pick at the top, just
too high.  Birds, insects and squirrels will be happy!


This is out latest visitor, a Carolina anole lizard - green at times, brown
 at others.  He lives somewhere on the front porch and will hopefully
 help with the unwanted insect population!


In the back garden today I noticed this juvenile Eastern bluebird - always
 exciting knowing there is a new generation of these once almost 
eradicated beautiful birds!  
We have a pair, maybe even two, who nest in the birdhouse. We have
 a real bluebird box affixed to the potting shed but they never use it, 
preferring the 'apartments' in the larger house.


The mourning doves, whom I love, are enjoying visits to the bird baths - we
 have three in the back garden now and I'm trying to keep them filled with
 clean water to keep mosquito larvae away.


Enjoy your day.
May the week be good.
Happy summer garden days.


Friday, September 25, 2020

Amphibians, butterflies and figs. . .


Busy days in the garden again this week. 

The tree guys were back to prune the fig, some overgrown privets, 
and limbing up an oak tree encroaching on our neighbor's tall conifer. 
All looks so much neater now, especially the fig tree which had
 become more like a gigantic shrub!

Before and after. . . . . much better now we can see the trunk again.

Eastern Black swallowtail on asters.


While emptying pots of summer annuals, herbs etc., I also moved the pots
 of asters and was surprised by this rather large frog in the bottom of a planter.

I think my visiting frog is a Carolina gopher frog. 
Very handsome, about 3" long with beautiful markings. . . . . the first
 seen here in my garden!
If interested in frogs you can read more about him/her here.




We tipped him out of the planter near the bee bath as he obviously 
requires water - then he hopped into a pot of ivy. I haven't seen him since
but hope he stays around and devours unneeded insects!


Have a great weekend.
Stay safe - be well.
 . . . . plan a visit to a lovely garden or a pumpkin patch!


Friday, July 31, 2020

Harvesting first figs, dessert and timber!!!!!




They've arrived and there are plenty for all. . . . birds,
squirrels and yes, we humans! 
Ripening is beginning and we are picking and sharing daily now.

Brown thrasher enjoys figs!

Beautiful fig leaves!


Easy dessert anyone?
I love this one - gobble them up while still crisp
from the oven!






The fig tree will be pruned later in the year when the fruits are finished -
it's becoming far too big!
Grass starting to brown in the heat - hoses at the ready to keep summer flowers
 and shrubs going a little longer hopefully.


This is what's been keeping us busy this week - a hard-working, polite and good natured 
crew taking down one tree and pruning several others on our property. Soon we hope
to continue with the back garden landscaping project. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .BUT, as you may know, there's a hurricane
 on the way, heading right toward North Carolina!!!


Thursday, October 3, 2019

Leaving home ---------------



This could be my 'last rose of summer' - a yellow Peace tucked in between 
two huge now withered hydrangea bushes.
Did it bloom to say "goodbye" as we leave, hefting the cumbersome luggage 
down the driveway for our ride to the airport later?


We stowed all garden knick knacks, seat cushions, bird feeders, umbrella etc., 
anything able to blow around and cause damage in a windstorm.


First leaves falling from the fig tree - on yet another already sweltering morning.

Very little autumn color here yet, but perhaps on our return it will have cooled at
 long last, the leaves will have changed to gold and rust, and hopefully rain - a lot
 of soaking rain - will have fallen to end the serious drought conditions. 

When we leave town this afternoon the temperature will be 99F/37C - hard to
 believe this is October and each day is breaking heat records here.

Next post should be from London when we arrive tomorrow and have an
 overnight at Heathrow, then on to Lisbon Saturday where we board the
 ship . . . . . . . or, if not from there, who knows where! This trip is going to so 
many places and I'm hoping to blog when Internet is available!
At least it will be cooler our first few days in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . I'm so
 looking forward to that, plus wearing boots and a sweater at long last!

Enjoy your October days.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Easter Sunday in the Garden. . . . . . .




 It's Springtime and North Carolina's azaleas are in full bloom. 
Everywhere, from suburban gardens and vintage back yards, to formal parks
 and rural trails through woods and forests, this native plant blooms in gorgeous
 colors from pure white to deep purple, and all shades of pink, orange and
 red imaginable. Azaleas add Southern charm in the high western mountains
 and the eastern Atlantic coast. . . . . .and all points in between. 


The many days of rain recently have certainly brought the fig tree along quickly
 and we are now seeing quite of lot of fruits tucked into those beautiful
hand-shaped leaves. I love this now huge tree so much - often feel like
 kicking myself into believing I've grown it from a tiny potted plant.
Much tree 'whispering' went on here over the years!


Took these two photos of the tree from front porch yesterday early morning. 
Severe storms had passed, everything still sodden but thankfully no major damage here.  
We always move our cars back down the driveway away from the huge oaks in
 the back garden when winds are high!





Hoping your Easter is full of blessings and special moments.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Green, green grass of home . . . .


You just can't have it all!
You want green grass, you have to embrace rain.
I understand because I grew up in mostly soft falling English rain and
 our grass was always green!

A costly built-in sprinkler system helps, standing for hours with a 
hand held version helps somewhat.
But the real thing is always the best for the garden.
RAIN, RAIN, RAIN. . . . . . . . falling from ominous grey clouds and dark skies, 
and how we are getting it here in the southeast US this unusual spring. 
We are already 3 inches above normal rainfall this month and today, starting
 mid-afternoon and continuing through the evening/night hours, we could be
 caught yet again in a severe weather pattern of thunderstorms and more heavy rain.


The fig tree leaves are really opening now - I swear I can see them unfurling
if I stare hard enough!



A handsome male House finch sheltering from the rain on the front porch -
look at those long claws!


The rain is helping wash away a lot of the pollen which is good.

The Japanese maple,  Acer palmatum var.dissectum'Viridis'
is looking fabulous.  My efforts of a light pruning on some branches
in late winter, seem to have helped. 
This was another tree from an 18 inch pot planted some years ago
which has done really well. Of course I am a 'tree whisperer' of sorts, always
talking to them each season and feeding them well!
However, they are still hell bent in draping their loveliness over the grass - making
 the 'mower man' quite upset. He reseeded last fall and new grass has come
in where it was rather bare under the tree. Perhaps with warmer days and
 sunshine those lower branches will lift a bit and the new grass will be safe!

Sorry, I sound like a broken record going on about so much rain.
 We are now promised bright sunshine for Monday and Tuesday,
  Perhaps we can enjoy Easter without rain boots. 
My sandals are at the ready!

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Baby it's cold outside!


Yesterday was miserable - today's even worse - murky hours of chilly rain including
 a spell of frozen droplets which luckily didn't last long. It was enough to visibly 
coat Mr. Cardinal with a little ice but he didn't seem to mind - birds never cease to
 amaze me when it comes to dealing with the weather. 
They don't even bother with raincoats and rubber boots! 
Our now really large fig tree is a year round favorite perch for these birds - and
 as it's outside the dining room windows I'm able to enjoy watching them and
 photographing them at the feeders.



Here are some of the girls - less colorful but oh so beautiful. Note there's a third one
 up in the left corner.  We are blessed with so many cardinals in our garden, I would
 say at least eight pairs, so hopefully lots of baby birds come spring!